Chapter 2: The Sudden Sandstorm Assault
The proud fox cub shrugged: “Erbao got into a fight with a little sand rat to grab more sea-buckthorn berries. Don’t worry, he’s not hurt.”
The other fox cubs chimed in: “Yeah, yeah! Erbao is the toughest fighter among the five of us!”
Erbao, shyly hiding behind the proud fox leader, nodded his little head like a pecking chick: “Sister, I’m fine. No need to worry.”
Watching the tiny bundle that was Erbao, Xu Ying felt touched. She gently stroked his head to soothe him: “Thank you, little one. You’re amazing!”
Finally able to pet the soft, warm fur, Xu Ying was utterly captivated by the fluffy sensation!
Ear foxes have clingy, lively personalities and love to interact. Erbao, shy yet clearly enjoying Xu Ying’s touch, twisted and squirmed adorably.
“Squeak! Squeak!”
Seeing Xu Ying petting Erbao, the other cubs eagerly crowded around her.
“Sister, what about me? Am I strong?”
“Sister, me and the fox leader carried some heavy water!”
“Sister, do you think I’m strong?”
...
Hearing a chorus of tiny, soft voices calling her sister, Xu Ying’s heart melted completely.
These little ones were truly little angels!
She showered each cub with affection. “Thank you, my darlings! All five of you are super impressive!”
Then she gently explained to them, “There’s going to be a sandstorm in three hours. Sister needs to rest a bit now. Once I have the strength to fix the motorcycle, I’ll take you all away!”
“Squeak—”
“Okay, sister, stop talking and save your energy!”
“Oh my, a sandstorm! Will we be swept away and thrown into the sky?”
“Trust sister. She’ll protect us because we’re so cute~”
“Then let’s bring sister some water and food!”
One after another, the cubs brought Xu Ying water, sea-buckthorn berries, white thorn fruits, and other wild fruits.
When Erbao pushed a canned meat in front of Xu Ying, she was stunned. These little ones were incredible. “Erbao, how did you find this can?”
“Squeak~”
Erbao replied, “Auntie Pearlbird saw I was all dirty and pitiful, so she gave me this can.”
The other cubs added, “Mom’s been gone for a few days. We’ve been relying on other desert neighbors for help. They all helped us find this food.”
No wonder—strength lies in numbers among animals.
---
Xu Ying imagined the other desert creatures uniting after receiving the cubs’ call for help, working together to find food and water.
This strengthened her resolve to protect these kind and noble little creatures.
The canned meat was close to expiring in less than a month. It was full of peck marks, apparently from the pearlbird who couldn’t figure out how to open it and left it aside.
“Are you all hungry?”
The fox cubs shook their heads.
“We have plenty from our neighbors’ generosity.”
Xu Ying devoured the canned meat ravenously, occasionally snacking on wild fruits as she waited for her strength to return.
Though hungry, she knew not to eat too much at once after fasting for so long.
An hour passed, and feeling her energy sufficient to repair and ride the motorcycle, Xu Ying got up and went to the broken bike. She grabbed the tools from the rear trunk and began tinkering.
In her previous life as a seasoned veterinarian and former leader of an animal rescue team, Xu Ying had learned many wilderness survival skills—including motorcycle repair.
While she worked on the bike, the kind-hearted cubs gathered around, occasionally lending a paw or handing her a wrench or pliers.
After some fiddling, Xu Ying tried starting the engine. When the roar of the motor came to life, a great weight lifted from her heart—she had fixed it!
She removed the animal transport box strapped to the back of the bike.
Animal rescuers often carry such boxes on their motorcycles to transport injured animals.
The original owner had been especially careful, padding the inside with air cushions, shock-absorbing foam, and soft mats to protect the animals from jolts.
Xu Ying opened the transport box door. “Cubs, get inside quickly. We have to escape!”
“It’ll be bumpy on the way, so you need to huddle together to avoid getting hurt.”
The five cubs obediently slipped inside, curling up into a tight ball. “Sister, we’re ready.”
“All right.”
Xu Ying closed the door and securely fastened the box to the motorcycle seat.
Just as she was about to ask the system which direction to escape the sandstorm, a notification sounded in her mind.
[Planning your escape route from the desert dust storm...]
A map-like interface appeared in her mind.
[To get out of the sandstorm’s range, drive 140 kilometers northwest. Estimated time: one and a half hours.]
There were still three and a half hours before the storm hit—plenty of time!
“System, can you detect the nearest rescue station along the northwest route?”
Xu Ying figured that after escaping the sandstorm, she would need a place to rest properly.
[Automatically locating the nearest Rescue Station 028 on the northwest route.]
---
Hearing Rescue Station 028, Xu Ying’s expression darkened. That was the very station where the two despicable colleagues who had abandoned her worked.
She put on her helmet, started the engine, and sped off on the motorcycle.
After about a hundred kilometers, the system alerted her that she had entered a signal coverage area—meaning they had escaped the no-man’s land.
Her phone had died, so she couldn’t call her superiors for help.
Only forty kilometers remained before they would be out of the sandstorm’s reach, and there was still plenty of time.
Xu Ying stopped the motorcycle and quickly removed the transport box to check on the fox cubs. The little ones had been cramped inside for so long—they needed some fresh air!
“Squeak—”
The five cubs scrambled out and rolled around in the sand.
“The air outside is so fresh~”
“It was stuffy in the box! I almost lost my mind~”
“Sister, you’ve worked hard driving!”
After breathing the fresh air for a while, their spirits lifted considerably.
“Let me know when you feel better!”
Xu Ying opened the transport box door and soothed the cubs gently, just like caring for babies. “Although we have time, it’s best to leave the danger zone as soon as possible.”
Unbeknownst to her, every move she made was being recorded.
Behind two huge sandstones, hiking livestreamer Ning Zexi had been watching her closely since she parked the motorcycle.
Wearing his streaming gear, he was broadcasting a desert hike. When he spotted the sand motorcycle approaching, he quickly hid behind the rocks.
Judging by the reckless way she rode, she must be some kind of outlaw!
Ning Zexi’s livestream had been dull all day, and he never expected such material to come right to his doorstep.
“Everyone, unbelievable! While I was resting behind this rock, a suspicious woman just appeared!”
Ning Zexi excitedly spoke into his phone’s camera: “She’s carrying a transport box holding five ear foxes—national second-class protected animals!”
“And there are five of them!”
“She must be a poacher!”